


Six ways Hinata says "I'm Here"

by BkZa555



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28530954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BkZa555/pseuds/BkZa555
Summary: Or; Six meanings for Hinata's "I'm here" to Tobio
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 12
Kudos: 115





	Six ways Hinata says "I'm Here"

**Author's Note:**

> So, my brain doesn't want to sleep, so I just write this bunny down cuz why not?
> 
> Hope you like it!

**_I. As a retort to an insult_ **

"Hinata, you _idiot_ , stop flailing!"

"I'm _not_ flailing!"

Like usual, Tobio just curses at the absolute _idiocy_ of this human tangerine's insufferable inability to do _anything_ except running around like a madman. He rolls his eyes before bowing at Yachi to put up the ball again.

Fingers carefully touch the ball, and he tosses the set high into the air. Hinata jumps, _flying_ , and spikes the ball that lands at the edge of the court.

When he lands, he happily yells a _yes!_ , jumping around carefreely, dragging Yachi into celebrating the little, _insignificant_ success with him. Tobio sighs as he goes over to pick up his water bottle, and he spies Sugawara looking at him with a grin.

"…What?" He asks, tilting his head slightly.

"Nothing," The senior laughs. "Just, you seem so _alive_ setting for Hinata. I wonder why?"

Tobio cocks his eyebrows before glancing to where the hyper ball of _noob_ is, to see him smiling brightly. He only frowns a little.

"Maybe because I have to keep tabs on him all the time. His skill sucks, so I have to be careful or he's gonna be stuffed like a Turkey."

"I'm still _here_ , you know!" Hinata yells, pointing his finger at him. Sugawara chuckles as Hinata continues. "Dude, if you're gonna say anything, say it to my face!"

"You're a scrub, you runt!" He shouts back. He then turns back and mutters. "You incompetent idiot."

"Hello, I'm here!" Hinata says from a bit too close, and his soul almost jumps out of his throat at that. "I can hear you, Bakayama!"

"Shut _up_."

* * *

**_II. As a reassurance_ **

The nightmare is always so real.

He has to keep reminding himself that he's got _teammates_ now, real ones, not just those that would abandon him in the middle of the rally. The sound of the ball hitting the ground, when there's no one to hit it, echoes inside his head as he gasps, trying to keep his breath steady, his heart calm.

He couldn't go back to sleep after… a recollection like that, so Tobio sighs and gets up, careful not to step on Tanaka or Nishinoya as he pads his ways through the unfamiliar hall, trying to find his way to the bath – or the gym, whichever he reaches first.

He does, in fact, ends up at the gym, which he _thought_ would be empty and unoccupied. Instead, he's met with a mob of orange, the smaller boy bouncing the ball against the wall of the gym softly, a quarter of the lights of the place turned on.

Hinata turns to him, but doesn't seem surprised to see Tobio there. The smaller boy only smiles, but says nothing as he bounces the ball softly his way.

"How did you get in?" He asks, absently starting their back-and-forth, the sound of the ball hitting their arms and hands the only thing echoing through the high roof and the large hall.

"Stole the key," He says, overhand-receiving the ball and sending it to him in a lazy, high arc. He returns it the same way, wanting to keep the conversation going just a little longer. "Why're you up now?"

"Same goes for you," He mutters, but relents after a few receives. "Nightmares."

Hinata seems contemplative, but his hands never stop, keeping the ball lazy and easy to put up. No digs, no spikes, just overhands. Then, quietly, _carefully_ , he murmurs. "Middle school?"

Tobio isn't even sure _how_ Hinata could read him like that, but decides not to dwell on it as he sighs and nods. "Yeah."

"Kageyama," Hinata calls softly, and Tobio almost stops, but he forces himself to keep moving. He glances Hinata’s way, to see those eyes, so _kind_ , so gentle. When he catches the smaller boy's gaze, Hinata catches the ball and keeps it in his grasp.

"…What?"

Hinata smiles. "We're here. _I'm_ here. As long as you put up the ball, I'll be there to hit it, every time."

Tobio feels his face heating up, his heart racing, and those words – he hasn't realized he _needs_ it until now. Now that Hinata's saying it to him here, while they're alone, where there's no need to look cool or to play nice, he feels… _free_ , the burdens he hasn't known he's been carrying left forgotten on the ground.

For the first time in forever, Tobio smiles back – not a smirk, not a grin, a _smile_ – before whispering. "…Thank you, Hinata."

* * *

**_III. As a way to draw attention_ **

"I'm _here!_ "

Hinata yells as he runs around the court, drawing Oikawa's attention to him. His senior (his _teacher_ ) won't usually fall for something like that, but Hinata suddenly yelling that after being silent for almost _half_ of the game really gives a nice touch of surprise.

And he sets the ball to the other side of the court, right into Azumane's waiting palm.

A spike, and the ball _flies_ into the air, reaching the audiences above.

" _Hey!_ " Oikawa yells from the other side, clearly _peeved_ that Hinata's messing with him. Tobio gives the man a cheeky smirk as he turns to Hinata, who's looking to the other side of the net, and then, at him.

There's a beat of silence, where Tobio isn't sure what he should say (what his heart wants to say), but he doesn't have to, since Hinata decides to speak first. "Kageyama! Why aren't you setting to me?"

"Haah? Why should I? They were on your ass, scrub," Tobio rolls his eyes and tries (and fails) to grab Hinata's shirt. "Come here, runt!"

"Nope! Not gonna!" The boy says as he runs around, laughing.

When he catches Oikawa looking at him strangely, he asks with a frown. "What?"

"Hm? Nothing, it's just…" He trails off a little before grinning, a hand on his chin. "Hm… _nothing_ , it's just that… I dunno, you two look like you've known each other for a lifetime."

"You're _shitting_ me."

"Nope!"

Tobio growls, but deep down, he feels like it's true; even when they fight and growl and spit curses at each other all the time, he feels like Hinata _knows_ him, maybe even better than himself.

He shoves the budding feelings away – right now, the two of them have a game to _win_.

( _The two of them,_ and not just _he_ or _them_.)

* * *

**_IV. As a call for the set, uncompromising_ **

Against Inarizaki, every set is precious, every score important.

He's focused, he's _thrilled_ , the prospect of playing against the best and fighting like it is _life_ or _death_ makes his skin tingles and sends adrenaline straight into his system. He grins as he puts up sets, as he dumps the ball, as he serves – everything's giving him high.

He just hasn't realized that there's still _someone else_ who's feeling the way he is.

Hinata is on point today – the dig against Ojirou one of the best he's ever seen (he's proud), and his jump is higher than what he's seen, too. Tobio smirks, setting another quick set into Hinata's waiting palm as the Twins are busy trailing after Tanaka.

And then, in a rally where the ball's going to go over to the other side, Hinata's eyes are saying _I'm here_ as he jumps, already halfway into his swing.

_Uncompromising trust. The ball will be there for him. And you had better set it there._

A part of him is irked by this; he does _not_ want to lose to Hinata, not after the last rally where he botches his set and the scrub saves his ass, but another part thinks – he's right _there_ , like he's promised. _Set the ball for me, and I'll hit every one of them every time_.

Who is he, to deny something like that? Who is he, to _not_ give a proper answer to that promise?

So he reaches, legs screaming, lungs burning, before he huffs and sets the ball for Hinata, with everything that he's got – only _this guy_ , will he do something like this, will he go this far, to this great length.

And when he spikes and scores, and they're on the ground, Tobio is grinning. He _wins_. But before he could rub that into Hinata's face, the small boy grins, bright like the _sun_.

"The ball's there, Kageyama! Thanks!"

 _No_ , he thinks, the grin turning into a soft, genuine smile – one that he immediately wipes off as he stands up straight, patting Hinata's back once, firmly. _Thank **you**. You call for me. I just answer._

Instead, Tobio says. "Nice kill."

Hinata is a teammate. A rival. A friend. A partner.

And he will _not_ trade that for anything else.

* * *

**_V. As a declaration_ **

They haven't met since high school.

Hinata's… _taller_ , tanner, is what Tobio immediately thinks. After that, he thinks he's _glad_ that he gets to see Hinata again, after two years, even if they're at the other side of the court. Somehow, even when they barely text, and never call, he _misses_ him. So when they meet, alone for but a fraction of second, he gives the smaller boy a smile. "You're here."

"I'm here," The boy says with a small smile of his own.

A conversation – a thousand words – passes between the short span of time. It's regrettable that such solace is cut short by the others as they come to meet their rivals (damn, Hinata's got a _lot_ of rivals), but Tobio's glad all the same.

And out there, on the court, he decides to greet Hinata with a wicked serve. _I'm not who I was before_ , is what he puts into the ball as he spikes it with everything he's got.

And Hinata answers by receiving it, and gliding forward into a high jump, his back arching, his posture so, so _beautiful_.

The ball wizzes past him, and when he lands, Hinata says loudly, happily, with both hands up in the air, as he declares his return, his arrival. " _I'm here!_ "

Then, he glances at Tobio, his eyes soft, and he mouths the same words again. _I'm here._

"Took you long enough," Is what he says.

 _Welcome home_ is what he means.

* * *

**_VI. As a confession, in a whisper_ **

After the game, he's surprised that Hinata's still sticking around him.

"Why aren't you going back with your team?" Tobio questions. He doesn't mind Hinata's company, of course, but he finds it a little strange.

The smaller man shrugs. "We've got a few days off. Coach's on business after this, so we're free to do whatever we want."

"Huh."

They walk in silence, and Tobio glances to see a content smile on Hinata's face as they reach the locker rooms. After separating for a short while, they both come out in their casual attire, ready to leave, ready to go home.

"Going back home?" Tobio asks, jingling the key in Hinata's direction. "I can drive you there."

"Yeah," Hinata nods. "Let's go."

They walk back to his car, now half abandoned, everyone else long since gone. When they get inside, he starts the engine, but doesn't drive right away, waiting for… something, Tobio isn't sure.

Then, to his surprise, Hinata speaks up softly. "You know… I think I've left this hanging long enough, so I'm going to just say it."

Tobio's heart leaps and bounds, but he doesn't show it. "What is it?"

At this, Hinata blushes lightly, and Tobio has to resist the urge to tease the shorter man. Their… well, their _friendships_ and rivalry has been a bit strange, and a lot of people has been commenting on it since after their first year.

Tobio thinks he knows, deep down, just what these little feelings and dancing butterflies are. But he's never given it enough thoughts, since they were busy polishing their skills, since Hinata was absent afterwards for _two damn years_ , with little contacts, but with lots of pictures.

So he waits, and waits, until Hinata sighs and looks up at him, his smile so gentle and so warm. _A morning sun_ , Tobio thinks.

"I'm here… _Tobio_."

 _I love you_.

Tobio smiles back, as he leans over to press his lips against _Shouyou's_ soft ones, and once they part, he whispers against them, softly, much like how he's always imagined, a long time ago.

"Welcome home, _Shouyou_."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are welcome!


End file.
